Receive the latest national-international updates in your inbox

New Haven, Connecticut police said a man took a dog into Edgewood Park on Sunday, tied it to a railing, and then shot the dog in the face. The 1-year-old pit bull survived. (Published Thursday, Apr 11, 2013)

Updated at 11:31 PM CDT on Wednesday, Apr 10, 2013

Police are looking for a man who shot a dog in the face and left it for dead in a New Haven, Conn., park.

A witness called police around 8:30 a.m. Sunday after watching the events unfold, according to a report from the police.

Adorable Zoo Babies: Newborn Jaguar

The witness told police a man walked the dog, a 1-year-old pit bull, into Edgewood Park on a leash. The dog seemed to trust the handler, according to the witness.

As the man and the dog reached the bridge by the duck pond, the man tied the dog's leash to a concrete railing tightly, which kept the dog from moving at all. The handler pulled out a gun and shot it in the face, the witness said.

The bullet missed the dog's brain by a centimeter, and somehow he miraculously survived the shooting. Officers have named the dog "B." He was taken to the Pet Shield veterinary hospital in North Branford for treatment.

After the shooting, the witness followed the man to the Kensington Street area but lost sight of him after that, police said.

The shooter is described as a man in his 30s and between 5 feet, 9 inches and 5 feet, 11 inches tall. He had very short dreadlocks and wore a black Champion jacket with a black letter "C" on the left breast.

According to a veterinarian, "B" should have no long-term effects from the shooting. He is still recovering and is not up for adoption at this point but could be put up for adoption at a later date, police said.

Anyone with information on the incident or recognizes "B" is asked to call police at 203-946-6313.